A works agreement between employer and works council must be decided jointly, written down and signed by both sides. The employer must display it in a suitable place in the workplace. It applies directly and is binding. German labor law also says what happens when such an agreement ends. On matters where the conciliation board can decide if the two sides do not agree, its rules continue bis sie durch eine andere Abmachung ersetzt werden, until they are replaced by another agreement. A similar rule applies to collective wage agreements. When one expires, its rules continue to apply until they are replaced by another agreement.